Netherlands Spouse Visa Documents: Which Indian Papers Need an Apostille
A partner or family move to the Netherlands means a small file of Indian civil documents: usually the marriage certificate, often birth certificates, sometimes a single status declaration. Each one is apostilled separately by the MEA. This post sorts out which papers are typically involved, which do not need an apostille at all, and the order that avoids doing the work twice.
Quick answer: one apostille per civil document
Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille work covers the Indian civil documents in a partner application to the IND, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service. The IND says official foreign documents such as birth and marriage certificates and single status declarations generally need legalisation. For Indian papers that means the MEA apostille; the Netherlands Embassy does not stamp them.
Each document is apostilled on its own. INFINITYGRO charges Rs 1,000–1,500 per document, all-inclusive of notary, SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service, and the apostille usually takes 2–3 working days in Delhi. Courier is extra, both ways. We start only from certificates and papers you already hold.
Indian documents that commonly go into a Dutch partner file
Your own IND form and checklist decide what is needed. The table shows the Indian civil documents that most often appear and why.
| Marriage certificate | Proof of the marriage for a spouse application; also used later for municipal registration |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate of each partner | Asked for in some cases and by municipalities when you register |
| Birth certificates of children | Needed when children move with you |
| Single status declaration | For unmarried partners; the IND accepts it only if it is no older than 6 months |
| Divorce decree or death certificate | If either partner was married before |
Plan the order so nothing is legalised twice
The IND says a document that has already been legalised cannot be legalised again. If you later need a newer version, you need a fresh document and a fresh apostille. A little planning keeps Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille work to one round.
- 1Check names firstSpellings on every certificate should match the passports. Corrections are for the issuing office, before any apostille.
- 2Time the single status paperBecause of the 6-month limit, make it close to the date you file with the IND.
- 3Apostille the set togetherSend all originals in one courier so they move through the MEA as one batch.
- 4Translate lastIf a document is not in English, translate after the apostille so the stamp is translated too.
Translation rules for a Dutch partner application
IND
Documents not in Dutch, English, French or German must be translated into one of those four languages. Translations made abroad usually need to be legalised along with the original.
Municipality
Documents not in English, French or German are translated into Dutch by a sworn translator in the Netherlands before registration. A translation made abroad must itself be legalised.
Most Indian certificates in English need no translation at all. For a Hindi or regional-language certificate, decide where it will be translated before we start, so the right papers are apostilled.
Getting Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille done from any city
- WhatsApp photos of every document and the IND checklist; we quote per document in writing
- Courier the originals with a passport copy, or drop them at our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi
- We arrange notary, SDM attestation and the MEA apostille for each paper
- Everything returns by Blue Dart or another secure courier, or you collect it
We also offer the online apostille (e-Sanad / QR apostille service). Done through INFINITYGRO it is usually ready in 2–3 working days; send the document and a copy of your passport, because the passport number is entered online.
Cost of Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille
| MEA apostille, personal or educational document | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive: notary, SDM attestation, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service |
|---|---|
| Usual time | 2–3 working days in Delhi after the document reaches us |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
The price is per document. A typical couple’s file of a marriage certificate and two birth certificates is three documents. There is no Netherlands Embassy fee.
FAQs: Netherlands Spouse Visa Documents: Which Indian Papers Need an Apostille
What does Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille cover?
The Indian civil documents listed on your IND checklist, typically the marriage certificate and sometimes birth certificates, a single status declaration or a divorce decree. Each needs its own MEA apostille. Your passport, photos and Dutch sponsor documents do not.
Does the Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi need to stamp anything?
No. The Netherlands and India are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so the MEA apostille replaces embassy legalisation. Netherlands Worldwide confirms that Indian documents should carry the MEA apostille. That is also why there is no embassy fee in our quote for the Netherlands.
We are not married. What do we apostille?
Unmarried partners usually show that neither is married to someone else. The IND accepts a single status declaration only if it is no older than 6 months, so prepare it close to the filing date. INFINITYGRO apostilles the document you hold; we do not issue it.
Can the documents be apostilled in different batches?
Yes, but one batch saves courier cost and time, and the documents come back together. The only paper worth holding back is a single status declaration, because of the IND’s 6-month limit; it can follow separately as a second, smaller courier.
How long does it take?
Usually 2–3 working days in Delhi for the batch once the originals reach us, plus courier time. The online apostille through us is also usually ready in 2–3 working days; we need the document and a passport copy for it.
What if a name is spelt differently on two certificates?
Sort it out before the apostille. INFINITYGRO does not correct certificates; the issuing office does. An apostilled certificate cannot later be re-legalised, according to the IND, so a corrected version would need a new apostille.
Do Dutch offices check the content of Indian certificates?
They may. Netherlands Worldwide says legalisation confirms only the signature, and that a municipality or the IND may verify the document itself. Netherlands spouse visa documents apostille work does not change that, so make sure every certificate matches your passports.
Do you handle the IND application itself?
No. INFINITYGRO handles the Indian side only: apostille of the documents and, if needed, translation. The IND application, MVV and civic integration steps are separate and are handled by you, your sponsor or your adviser in the Netherlands.
Official sources
Send your Netherlands document list on WhatsApp
WhatsApp a photo of your document and the country it is for. We confirm the route, time and total in writing before you send anything.
Office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096 · Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM · office drop-off or courier, no home pickup
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Disclaimer: INFINITYGRO is a private document facilitation service, not a government office or embassy. Apostilles and attestations are issued only by the Ministry of External Affairs and the embassies concerned; we do not issue, correct or verify certificates. Rules and fees can change, so check the requirements of the authority that will receive your document.
Last reviewed: October 2026